


The World Is New

by numinousnumbat



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alcohol, M/M, Swearing, mention of marijuana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2019-08-28
Packaged: 2020-09-28 02:30:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20418419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/numinousnumbat/pseuds/numinousnumbat
Summary: Michael, Alex, and Kyle take a road trip to Albuquerque.“It’s three men versus Albuquerque’s finest drinking establishments tonight,” Michael said.“Two men and an alien,” Kyle said flashing a smile at Michael.“Fine!” Michael said. “One man, one alien, and one asshole.”Alex knocked on his prosthetic leg that he’d just put on. “Well, technically I’m three-fourths of a man.”“Come on, you’re at least nine-tenths of a man!” Michael said. “Three-fourths would be if you lost, like, the whole leg.”“So one alien, one asshole, and nine-tenths of a man,” Kyle said. “Let’s go.”





	The World Is New

**Author's Note:**

> There's some swearing in here, but I feel like these characters would curse if they weren’t on the CW?
> 
> Michael/Alex is an established relationship and this story is set at some nebulous future time when they've mostly got their shit together. Additionally, this is either a Michael & Alex & Kyle friendship fic, or maybe a pre Michael/Alex/Kyle fic. I'm the author and I'm not even sure. 
> 
> Title is, of course, a '90s song, from Save Ferris's "It Means Everything."

“Max would let us borrow his car,” Michael said on the drive to Kyle’s. Max had already said_ no, absolutely not_ but Michael was sure Max would change his mind if he knew the other option was Kyle. “Or you could let me fix this car. I could do it, wouldn’t take too long.”

“It’s fine,” Alex said. “Kyle wants to come with us - we talked the other night. He’s been at work or on call all month, and could use the trip out of town.”

“He’s still a dick.”

Alex shrugged his response as they pulled into Kyle’s place, and parked next to the pickup truck in the driveway. Kyle must have been waiting - or Alex had texted him - because he was already locking his front door and ducking under the chile ristras hanging from the porch. 

“Where’s the beamer, Valenti?” Michael called out as he opened his door.

“Borrowed this from my coworker,” Kyle said. “Didn’t want your greasy car parts dirtying up my car.”

“I brought a tarp, so the BMW would have been fine.”

Alex rubbed his temple. “He traded cars to make sure you had enough room to bring back as many parts as you wanted,” he said. "Let’s get going. We have a schedule and need to be at UNM at 14:00."

"Schedule?" Michael rolled his eyes. "You were away for too long; no one in New Mexico expects you to be on time. This is the Land of Mañana, remember? Back me up, Valenti!"

“Hey, I’m just along for the Lotaburger.” Kyle opened the driver-side door and tossed his duffle bag behind the seat.

“It’s the same as Whataburger and you fucking know it,” Michael said as he walked around to Alex’s door to help Alex if needed. Getting in and out of a vehicle with a prosthetic leg and a crutch was complicated at best, and Michael liked to be close in case Alex was having a bad leg day, which had been almost all of the days since he’d gotten an upgraded prosthetic leg a few weeks prior.

“Michael doesn’t even know what it’s like to live somewhere without a green chile cheeseburger,” Alex said getting his feet on the ground as Michael grabbed both of their bags and a toolbox from the back seat of Alex’s Explorer.

“Right? I was prepared for Michigan weather when I went to college,” Kyle said. “I was not prepared for Michigan food.”

“I could handle Michigan food,” Michael said disdainfully.

“Imagine being drunk at 3 in the morning and there is no green chile sauce in the entire state,” Kyle said. “No one should have to suffer that way.” He swung himself up into the cab of the truck.

"It's almost as bad as explaining to adults who have presumably passed fifth grade geography that New Mexico is not the same as Mexico." Alex shook his head wearily. 

"Yeah, the post office charged me international shipping to send some of my stuff back here," Kyle said, throwing up his hands.

"Maybe the mail person didn't like your face," Michael said cheerfully. He turned to Alex. "Middle or door?"

Alex was eyeing the step up, and handed Michael his crutch. “I’ll sit in the middle to keep you two from fighting.”

“Kyle has cooties. Alejandra Gutiérrez told me in middle school.” Michael watched as Alex hoisted himself up to the seat and started scooting to the center.

“I can’t believe I didn’t learn about cooties in _medical school_,” Kyle said. Michael easily jumped up and closed the door behind him.

“Seat belts,” Kyle said turning on the truck and putting it in gear. “Next stop, Lotaburger.”

It was a three hour trip, give or take, to Albuquerque. Alex dug around his pockets until he pulled out a prescription bottle and dumped two pills into his hand. Kyle handed over his bottle of water from the door.

“You’re not my doctor; I don’t rate my pain for you.” Alex swallowed the pills and shoved the bottle back into his coat.

“Didn’t say a word.” Kyle grimaced, and then carried on. “But easy on the drinking tonight.”

“Wake me up when we hit the Sandias,” Alex said, ignoring Kyle’s remark, and balling up his sweatshirt to use as a pillow.

Alex slept on Michael’s shoulder most of the way to Albuquerque. Kyle nudged him as they started over the Sandia Mountains, but Alex kept sleeping. Kyle pulled into the first Lotaburger off the interstate in Albuquerque and Michael shook Alex awake.

“Hey,” Michael said smiling. “We made it. Ready for lunch?”

Alex blinked the confusion of every person who's fallen asleep in one place and woken in another.

“I’m so ready for this burger,” Kyle said as he opened the door and jumped out.

Michael was waiting by the door as Alex used his arms to lower himself to the ground, where he immediately doubled over. “Shit! Leg cramp!” he said breathing through the pain.

“Can I help?” Kyle asked, stepping closer.

“I’m fine,” Alex said through clenched teeth.

“You order, and I’ll stay with him,” Michael said.

Kyle looked unsure, but headed inside after a few moments. "I want the largest size of the seasoned fries," Michael called to Kyle's back. Kyle gave him the finger without turning around.

“Walk it off?” Michael asked Alex. He leaned in close. “Don’t worry about falling, because I can hold you up with my braaain.” He tapped his forehead.

Alex glared at Michael but did take his arm and started slowly pacing, putting more and more weight on his bad leg as they went. When the cramp was mostly gone, they went into the restaurant, where Kyle was sitting with their food. Kyle looked like he wanted to jump up and help, but Michael’s death glare kept him in his seat. Michael slid into the booth first, and Alex after.

“Remember when my dad would bring us to Albuquerque when we were kids?” Kyle asked Alex as he started passing out burgers and fries.

“Yeah,” Alex said smiling. “No matter how much we begged him to take us to McDonald's, we ate at Sadie’s every single time.”

“Twice if we made a weekend of it.”

“And the only thing you ever ordered was a quesadilla.”

"My dad was always so mad about that," Kyle laughed. "_Get the posole, Kyle. It's as good as your abuela's, Kyle,_" Kyle said, doing a poor imitation of his father. 

Alex laughed. "Remember the sopaipillas? That's what I missed most when I was in Iraq." He turned to Michael. “You lived here for a while; do you ever miss it?”

“That would be a no,” Michael said. “The ABQ was the place where I found out I could drink acetone. Imagine if that hadn’t worked.”

Kyle looked mildly horrified. "Hey, did you figure out what major you want to do?" he asked Alex.

Alex shook his head. "I thought I would do computer science because that's kind of what I do already, but my therapist wanted me to think 'outside the box' and find something I'm passionate about." He shrugged. "How'd you decide you wanted to be a doctor?" 

"My freshman year, at the Sigma Epsilon Chi Spring Fling Luau Costume Mixer," - Michael snorted - "one of my fraternity brothers drank too much. Someone found him passed out on a couch and we couldn't wake him. The ten minutes it took the ambulance to get there were seriously the ten longest minutes of my life. I was standing there, wishing I could do something, anything. The rest is history." He blinked. "$90K of medical school debt history." 

Alex nodded. "You would think after a decade in the Air Force I would have some sort of an idea what I wanted to do."

"You'll figure it out; that's what college is for," Kyle said. "And if you're interested in anything in the medical field, I can find someone at the hospital for you to talk to." 

"If you want to know more about fixing cars, come to the junkyard and we can have sex in my trailer," Michael said. 

Kyle threw a fry at Michael's face. Michael caught it and shoved it in his mouth. 

☼☼☼

Next on the agenda was Alex’s visit to UNM. Alex directed Kyle with his phone and after circling a few times, they found the correct lot and parked.

“I’ll wait for you here,” Michael said.

“You should come with me,” Alex replied.

“Take the doctor, because you don’t need an opinion from a guy who lives in a junkyard.”

“Well, I made the appointment for both of us,” Alex said. “You said you don't have to stay in Roswell anymore, maybe you'd want to go to school.” Alex was mostly looking at the ground.

“That door closed a loooong time ago.”

“Then fucking turn the knob and open it,” Kyle said. “Come on.”

Michael reluctantly got out of the truck and followed the other two to the main administrative building. At the admissions office, a cheerful administrative assistant lead them back to the office of Marisa Chavez Figueroa, and Marisa waved them in.

“Hi, I’m Marisa,” she said standing to shake everyone’s hands. They introduced themselves and settled into the chairs across from her desk. Marisa shuffled some papers.

“So welcome to UNM,” she said. “You are all from Roswell?” They nodded. “I grew up in Carlsbad,” she said brightly. “We used to drive through Roswell all the time.” She leaned forward. “You can tell me: are aliens real?” 

“As real as you and me,” Michael said.

“I can report that I’ve never seen any little green men running around,” Alex said.

Marisa laughed. “Now, Alex, tell me what brings you to UNM.”

“I’m deciding if it’s the right time for me to leave the Air Force and looking at some career options,” Alex said.

Marisa looked at the paper in front of her. “Right, you definitely have a solid foundation for a variety majors. You said in your email that you were interested in computer science?”

“I’ve been thinking about that, yeah.” He glanced at Kyle. “And can you tell me about your physical therapy program?”

"Sure!" Marisa explained the program, what the G.I. Bill would cover, and mentioned he should get in touch with the Veterans Resource Center. She turned to Michael. “And what about you? Alex indicated that you might be interested in earning your degree here, too?”

“I’m a mechanic. Don’t think this education scene is for me.”

“Sure, college isn’t right for everyone, but you are in a great position of having actual life experience to narrow down what you'd like to study. If you wanted to run your own repair shop, you could study business. If it's working with your hands that you enjoy, what about a chemistry degree and working in a lab setting. You probably enjoy figuring out how things work, so consider something like mechanical engineering.”

“Maybe.” Michael leaned back and crossed his arms. “I’ve got a record. Still going to let me in?”

“Jesus, Guerin,” Kyle said, shaking his head. “You were the smartest kid in our class despite being raised in a foster home. No one cares that you got arrested for public intoxication. Give me a pen, I’ll write a letter of recommendation right now.”

“Fine, maybe I’ll _think_ about it.” Michael glared at Kyle.

Alex sighed and Marisa hid a smile behind her hand. 

☼☼☼

After meeting with Marisa and walking around campus, they headed to the U-Pull salvage yard, south on I25 a few more miles. The employee waved them towards the north side of the lot when Michael asked about his truck. Michael had his toolbox, Kyle carried the bags and tarps, and Alex watched the uneven ground as they walked into the field.

Kyle looked at the clouds. "I think we might get lucky with the monsoon today."

"If it rains, I'll have to decide if crawling or getting carried is worse for my dignity." Alex glared at the sky, as if daring it to rain.

“That looks like my baby!” Michael said as they neared the truck he was looking for. He opened the hood and started digging around. Alex leaned against the rusted car next to the truck to take the pressure off his bad leg.

“Why don’t you sit on the ground?” Kyle suggested. “Guerin looks like he going to take his sweet time.” As Alex went to shake him off, Kyle held out his hands. Alex put his crutch to the side and grabbed Kyle’s hands and then with Kyle’s help, lowered himself to the ground. Kyle sat next to him, close but not touching.

“I got used to being in a war zone. I got used to my boyfriend being an _alien_ from _outer space_. Why can’t I get used to my leg?” Alex sighed.

“It’s a new prosthesis,” Kyle said. “It takes time to adjust.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Don’t be reasonable when I just want to complain.”

Kyle gave a small laugh. “All right. Bombs are dumb. Prostheses are dumb. Legs are dumb.”

“Thank you. That’s more helpful than your medical degree bullshit.”

“Noted. I should start diagnosing people with dumb stomach viruses.”

“Dumb AIDS.”

“Dumb transient lingual papillitis.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Swollen taste bud.”

“That is dumb.”

They sat for a few minutes watching Michael hum to himself as he worked. “What the plan for after this?” Kyle said it loud enough that Michael was included. Michael had wiggled himself under the truck to get to the drive shaft.

"We can drive to the mountains to watch the sun set and smoke the joints I have packed," Michael offered. 

"No more driving," Alex said. "My leg is done for the day."

“How about hotel, nap, and then find a bar?” Kyle listed on his fingers.

"Valenti," Michael called out, "I knew you could talk sense occasionally." 

☼☼☼

Kyle walked back from the front office of the motel and climbed into the truck. “They lost our reservation, but they did have one room left.” 

“And?”

Kyle sighed. “One bed, but she said there’s a couch. I’ll sleep on it.” He drove them to the other side of the parking lot, and they gathered their bags and headed in. 

It was a king bed, as promised, and there was a small hot tub in the back of the room. But the promised couch was a loveseat. Kyle stared at the loveseat. “Maybe I’ll sleep in the truck.”

Michael rolled his eyes. “Maybe you can stop being a homophobic asshole and share the fucking bed with us.”

Alex was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands. “Guys, no more fighting until after I stop feeling like I’ve been run over by a train.”

Kyle crouched down to his bag on the floor. “I have naproxen or ibuprofen if you want to drink tonight.” He held out two bottles.

Alex grabbed the bottle closest to him, dumped out two pills into his hand and dry swallowed them. “Wake me up before dinner.”

Michael helped him get under the quilt and then climbed into the middle of the bed. He held up the other side of the quilt. “Room for one more,” he said to Kyle.

Kyle huffed out a sigh but pulled his shoes off and got in bed. "Please tell me you don't cuddle in your sleep," he muttered to Michael. 

"Let's find out." Michael ran his foot down Kyle's leg.

"I'm begging both of you to go to sleep," Alex mumbled into his pillow. 

☼☼☼

After a couple hours of sleep and showers, Alex, Michael, and Kyle were ready to get dinner and a drink.

“It’s three men versus Albuquerque’s _finest_ drinking establishments tonight,” Michael said.

“Two men and an alien,” Kyle said flashing a smile at Michael.

“Fine!” Michael said. “One man, one alien, and one _asshole_.”

Alex knocked on his prosthetic leg that he’d just put on. “Well, technically I’m only three-fourths of a man.”

“Come on, you’re at least nine-tenths of a man!” Michael said. “Three-fourths would be if you lost, like, the whole leg.”

“So one alien, one asshole, and nine-tenths of a man,” Kyle said. “Let’s go.”

“If we find an elf, we’ll have a perfect D&D group,” Alex said.

Dinner was at the Mexican place down the street, and then they went to the bar next door.

“You sure you don’t want to go to one of your bars?” Kyle asked. “_Gay_,” he stage whispered.

“Oh my god,” Alex said and turned back to the bar to wait for the bartender to come over.

Michael was grinning.

“Don’t,” Kyle said to Michael. “I was trying to be polite.”

“If Alex wants to score tonight, he’s in luck because my ass has ‘Property of Alex Manes’ tattooed on it.”

“Thank you for that mental image that I wish I could delete from my memory,” Kyle said. “Are we doing tequila shots?”

“_Finally_ a good question,” Michael said. “The answer is yes.”

Michael and Kyle did shots and drank beer while Alex nursed one beer under Kyle’s watchful eye. They ended up sitting at a tall table in the back corner with a good view of the room.

“The girl, the girl in the red sweater,” Kyle slurred, leaning over towards Alex. “She’s cute, right?”

Alex squinted. “She’s like a blonde Rachel Maddow.”

“I’m not sure if that answers my question.” Kyle leaned over to Michael. “The girl in the red, yeah?”

They were both watching the girl in the red chatting with her friend when a man surreptitiously dropped something into her drink on the bar.

“I don’t fucking think so,” Michael said jumping up and rushing towards the man, Kyle on his heels.

Michael didn’t say anything and went straight for a punch to the man’s face, while Kyle grabbed the drink and handed it to the bartender.

The man’s friend - accomplice? - jumped on Michael and without thinking, Kyle jumped in, too. It took a couple of swings, but Michael and Kyle soon had the two men on the ground.

The bouncer was there in moments and roughly pulled Michael up, while Kyle stood from the other man on his own. The bartender explained what had happened.

The bouncer shrugged his shoulders. “Alright, but you guys get out of here. No fighting, no exceptions. I’ll hold these two for the cops.”

Alex had their things, and they were almost out the door when the bartender stopped them. She handed a bottle of tequila to Michael. “Thanks,” she said. “Go have some fun.”

They left the bar and the noise and started walking back to the motel, enjoying the cool evening breeze.

Michael took the cap off the tequila and threw it over his shoulder. He took a swig and passed the bottle to Kyle. “Surgeons shouldn’t get into fist fights, dumbass. You didn’t fuck up your hands, did you?”

Kyle looked at his hands. “Nope. You?”

“Fine.” Michael was curt. 

“You should go back and tell those guys that they’re going to have to work a lot harder to be on Jesse Manes’ level.” Kyle took another swig.

“You're such a dick,” Michael said grabbing the bottle from Kyle.

"Fuck you, too," Kyle responded.

“Hey, now,” Alex said, “that’s my job.”

They made it back to their motel room and Michael had his shirt off before the door was shut behind them. “Hot tub time,” he called out as he unbuckled his belt.

Alex looked at the hot tub and the distance from the bed and the lack of handrails. “Will you -”

Michael cut him off. “Of course. Every time.”

“Ok.” Alex pushed his pants down and sat on the bed to take his shoes and prosthetic leg off. He took his shirt off and Michael - who had opted to take off everything, including his boxers - was there to help him. Alex hopped over to the tub and sat on the edge. He swung his foot around to the water, and Michael stepped into the tub to help Alex slide down. When Alex was seated, Michael sat next to him.

“Hey, Valenti, you coming?”

Kyle had been going through his bag the entire time it took Michael and Alex to get in the hot tub. “Tub looks like it'll overflow if I get in.”

“Get in the fucking tub, Archimedes.” Michael used his telekinesis to bring the tequila from Kyle's hand to his hand. He took a drink. “It’s awfully homophobic that you won’t sit in a hot tub with two gay dudes.”

“You’re bisexual.”

“You’re ignoring my obvious dig at your homophobic behavior.”

“Fine!” Kyle said. “But if we get charged for water damage, I’m keeping your truck parts.”

“Whatever, Valenti.”

Kyle quickly took his clothes off, stopping at his boxers, like Alex and unlike Michael. Michael saw Alex watching Kyle take his clothes off, mouth hanging slightly open. Oh. Well, then. Kyle crossed the room and stepped into the hot tub.

“There’s not enough room.”

“You know, if you were actually secure in your heterosexuality, you would just get in the hot tub.”

Kyle huffed, but lowered himself, and everyone moved their legs so he could fit. “Pass the tequila.”

Michael used his telekinesis again.

“Is he always like this when he’s wasted?” Kyle asked Alex.

“Michael, Kyle,” Alex said firmly. “This is a fantasy of high school me and I would really appreciate it if you two would stop your bickering and let me enjoy being in a hot tub with two men.”

Michael grinned and licked his lips. “Tell me more, oh teenage Alex.”

“Well, one of you would be Brendon Urie and you know what, I’ve said enough. Just let me sit here in peace.”

Kyle and Michael were both smiling at Alex. “Was there kissing?” Michael asked.

“Shush.”

“There was _definitely_ kissing." Michael was grinning widely. He nodded at Kyle. Kyle pointed to himself and looked confused. Michael pointed at Kyle and then at Alex. Kyle shrugged and then maneuvered himself to be in front of Alex. Alex was staring at Kyle's lips. Alex swallowed and Kyle leaned forward and pressed his lips against Alex's, kissing him softly. He leaned back, and they smiled at each other. 

"Well, Valenti?" Michael asked. Kyle shook his head but turned his body in line with Michael. "Kiss me like you mean it," Michael taunted. Kyle leaned in and gave Michael a closed-mouth kiss, like the one he'd just giving to Alex. Michael put his hands around the back of Kyle's head and directed his head back to him, and Michael met him with parted lips. The kissed a few times and then Kyle pulled back. 

"Stubble is weird." Kyle settled himself back into his spot. He glared at Michael. “Don’t even say kissing two men is homophobic.”

Michael grinned. “I don’t need to say it when I’ve trained _you_ to think it.”

Alex was smiling. "Best road trip ever." 

**Author's Note:**

> If you find yourself in New Mexico in August/September, head to grocery store parking lots because you'll find people roasting chiles to sell and it is my favorite smell in the world. 
> 
> I am on [tumblr](https://numinousnumbat.tumblr.com/) and you can reblog this story [here](https://numinousnumbat.tumblr.com/post/187390923696/the-world-is-new).


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